1951- A Companion to Kind of Not an Evil Queen
by AdFinem
Summary: Tom and Aliya meet at one of the Malfoy's social banquets. A series of one-shots, telling the story of Tom and Aliya, from when they meet to when Aliya and Jez leave. Probably should read Kind of Not and Evil Queen first. Can you call it a romance, if Tom doesn't really love?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything JK Rowling wrote, just the Greenswards.**

**Hello! SO, i highly suggest reading my other story, Kind of Not an Evil Queen, before reading this, because this is Tom and Aliya's backstory, told in one-shots. Though i guess this could stand alone, i just can't see it as that. **

**PS: On my other story, Kind of Not an Evil Queen, i just ended the Goblet of Fire part of the story, and need 4 more reviews before i post the next chapter. I'm getting restless waiting to update, so please go read, and let me know!**

**READ ON!**

**UPDATE: Eep! i forgot to thank the lovely shadowkat678 for giving me the idea for this story! i was bored and asking her what i should write while waiting to update Evil Queen and she suggested this! Thanks you!**

* * *

_**The Social Banquet**_

Aliya nervously pat down the skirt of her gown.

"Why must I go to this banquet, Mother?" she asked, turning to the empowering woman beside her.

Anneliese Greensward smiled, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You are out of school, now, Aliya. It is time for you to meet some nice young men in our society."

Aliya contained her eye roll.

Anneliese picked imaginary lint off of Aliya's dress. "Now, when they announce us, the Greenswards—"

"The doors will open, and we walk down the staircase. Don't forget to smile, and don't walk to slow. Don't wave."Aliya shrunk under her mother's look. "Sorry, Mother."

Anneliese sighed and put on her best smile as the patriarch of the Black family, Arcturus, announced, "The lovely Greensward ladies—Anneliese and Aliya!"

Aliya grit her teeth into a practiced smile and stepped through the doors.

* * *

"Come, now, Tom, enjoy the party! Look at all the lovely women..."

Tom rolled his eyes at Abraxas. "Aren't you engaged?"

The blonde waved an unconcerned hand. "Been engaged, mate; that didn't stop me from having some fun during my school days." He cast a wink in the direction of a pretty girl in green robes.

"Tell me, Abraxas, why I am here, at your family's social party?"

"You wanted a wife. I had a place for you to find one."

Tom shook his head. "You were also supposed to help me find one."

"I did!" Tom gave him an appraised look. "Really, I did! None of the fathers know you, so they'd never let their daughters even hang around you. I put in a good word for you, told them you were top of our class, well-liked by the teachers and old Dippet—all the good stuff."

Tom pursed his lips. "We'll see."

Orion Black's father was announcing families as they came down the majestic staircase.

Abraxas jumped, nearly tipping his drink. "That's it!"

"Pardon?"

The blonde's grey eyes glinted. He pointed to the stairs. "Aliya!"

Tom turned his eyes to the stairs.

An extraordinary beauty was descending the stairs, beside an older woman who had to be her mother. The girl had long, thick chocolate waves of hair, held out of her face by a simple silver circlet. She had delicate features—light skin, high cheekbones, a small, rosy mouth, and big, bright hazel eyes. She held herself with a pride and regality that gave the immediate impression that she was confident, and a pureblood princess.

"Aliya Greensward," Abraxas said. "She's sort of the jewel of young pureblood society. The Greenswards are another one of the ancient lines, and she's the only child. She was born later than all of us, otherwise our parents would have fought to have her join the family."

Tom studied her. Her and her mother had reached the bottom of the staircase, talking with the Blacks, and Abraxas' mother. She was dressed in an elegant, iridescent dress of silvery fabric, that shimmered shades of green, blue, and purple.

Her face was a practiced expression that Tom knew well from being around his pureblood schoolmates. It was the mask that every high-society pureblood knew, taught early on.

"Let's...introduce you," Abraxas said, grinning. He made his way over to them. Tom ran a hand through his dark locks and followed.

"Mother, Mrs. Black, Mrs. Greensward...Aliya." Gone was the flirting, light, carefree Abraxas Malfoy. He was replaced by the Malfoy heir—smooth, charming, perfect.

"Good evening, Abraxas," Mrs. Greensward said warmly. "What a fine young man you've grown into."

"Ah, you are still beautiful as well, Mrs. Greensward," he said. Then he quickly added, "Though you are the most beautiful as always, Mother."

Their little group laughed. Tom watched with interest. The pureblood society fascinated him. So many politics, and statuses, and names.

Abraxas' wild gleam returned to his eyes. "May I introduce my good friend from school, Tom Riddle?"

Tom stepped forward, extending a hand. Orion's mother placed her hand in his, and he kissed it, as he had observed.

"Such a well-mannered man," Mrs. Greensward commented when it was her turn. "Are you promised to a special lady yet, Mister Riddle?"

"Mother!" exclaimed the beauty softly, horrified.

Abraxas laughed, Malfoy exterior slipping away. "I see it's your turn now, Aliya!"

"Abraxas," his mother said, the sharpness in her tone very subtle. "Why don't you take Aliya and your friend for some refreshments?"

"Yes, Mother," he said. He said goodbye individually to each woman, and Tom followed his lead.

Aliya trailed behind the two young men as they went to a small table beside the drinks.

"Firewhiskey, anyone?" Abraxas asked, grabbing a bottle.

Aliya scoffed, shocking Tom. "You do not need to get drunk off that thing again," she said, stealing the bottle away. There was a mischievous gleam in her hazel eyes. While Abraxas protested and tried to get the bottle back, she popped it open and took a look around, before taking a swig.

Tom and Abraxas stared at her, open-mouthed.

"Oh, come off it, never seen a lady drink before?" she said, slapping the bottle on the table.

"I didn't think you were like the rest of us, with the mask and then the real us underneath," Abraxas said, amazed. "I thought you were the mask, through and through."

"I never have seen a woman willingly drink firewhiskey before," Tom admitted. He was laying out his plan for catching this girl's eye. Though he could tell by her sneaky glances at him, that he had her attention already.

She looked at him, full on. "Oh? Must not be many daring women at Hogwarts."

"I don't remember you at Hogwarts," he said. "Beauxbatons?"

She nodded. "I did well, though it was incredibly surreal. I didn't speak French."

Abraxas let out a hoot of disbelief. "You mean your parents never made you learn?"

She shook her head, taking another sip from the bottle.

Abraxas despaired, "Oh, to be a Malfoy!"

Tom and Aliya ignored him. "So," Aliya said, blushing slightly. "I've never heard the name Riddle before."

He shook his head. "You wouldn't. My mother was pureblood, my father was...Muggle-born. "

Abraxas coughed.

Aliya's eyes widened. "Oh, wow. Either your mother was from the most respected of lines, or you yourself are extraordinary, to be a half-blood at the Malfoys' party."

Tom smiled and laughed charmingly. "Perhaps...both."

She laughed, and Abraxas coughed harder.

Tom cast a chilling eye on him. "Dear, me, Abraxas, it seems as though you have a terrible cough."

The Malfoy waved a hand, giving Tom a meaningful look.

"Here, Abraxas, have a drink," Aliya said, tipping the bottle into his open mouth.

He coughed for real and choked on the firewhiskey. Aliya cracked up and Tom smiled. Abraxas groaned at glared at them both. "I'm getting food."

He swaggered away from their table, dabbing firewhiskey off his robes.

Aliya rolled her eyes and gave Tom her full attention. "So, Tom, was it?"

"Yes...Aliya?"

She smiled. "Will you tell me whose respected blood you have running through your veins?"

He tilted his head. "One day, perhaps."

Aliya made a face. "Alright..."

Tom put a smile on his face. "Well, I've heard all about the esteemed Greensward line. Would you care to share more?"

Her face lit up. Tom filed that away. _She is passionate about her family..._

"We're an older line than the Malfoy's, though not quite as prestigious. Abraxas likes to remind me of that quite often. The eldest Greensward child is always a girl. Parents have tried for a son before, but it's always a little girl. But they keep having children until they have a son, so that there's someone to carry the name on. One generation had eleven kids, I believe..."

Tom and Aliya spent the rest of the evening talking, and dancing. Abraxas had mysteriously disappeared from their presence, though Tom spotted him chatting up a girl in red while dancing.

Aliya wanted to introduce him properly to her parents.

Mr. Jonathan Greensward was an easygoing man, with a loud laugh. When he shook Tom's hand, though, his keen hazel eyes sized Tom up, and he felt the sudden urge to pat his hair down. But then Mr. Greensward released his hand and said, "I like him, Aliya!"

Anneliese Greensward was regal and proper. She had the air of a true aristocrat, though Aliya whispered to him later that she was easier around Tom, probably because she had met him already, and he was so charming and good-looking. This last one she added with a blush.

At the end of the night Tom and Aliya stood beside each other in the gardens outside.

"It was lovely to meet you, Tom," Aliya said, not looking at him.

Tom smiled. He had her. "It was all my pleasure, my dear Aliya."

He remembered something she had said earlier, about getting kissed in a moonlit garden. He did just that.

"I hope to see you again," he said, with a little bow. Then he turned and went inside to gather his cloak.

Abraxas was waiting for him, smirk on his face, Tom's cloak in his hand.

"So...thank you, Abraxas?" the blonde asked, shaking Tom's cloak a bit.

Tom rolled his eyes. "She's lovely. But it will only work if her parents approve, right?"

Abraxas tossed the cloak to him. "Oh, don't worry, they loved you. I heard Mrs. Greensward tell my mother to free up our calendar for the wedding already."

Tom smiled and fastened his dark green cloak around his neck. He spotted Aliya coming inside, face flushed, a dreamy smile on her face.

"If there is a wedding," he said, pulling out his wand to Apparate, "They will not be there. No one will know about my relationship."

Abraxas was confused. "But, if you have a bride like Aliya Greensward, wouldn't you want people to know? That's what we do in pureblood society."

Tom gave a dark smile. "I am not pureblood, Abraxas."

* * *

"That young man, Tom Riddle, Aliya," Anneliese said to her daughter. "He did say he was unattached, yes?"

"Yes, Mother," answered Aliya, a smile gracing her lips. Tom had been wonderful, the perfect gentleman. He made her laugh, he was handsome, and he was intelligent.

"It would be a fine union between you and he," her mother said.

Jonathan Greensward laughed his booming laugh. "Yes, that man would make a fine addition to the Greensward line! But, what is his lineage, my girl?"

Aliya hesitated, biting her lip.

"He didn't tell me. He just said his mother came from one of the most respected bloodlines, and his father was Muggle-born." She saw her parents exchange skeptical glances, and she added quickly, "But he's extraordinary, the finest wizard Hogwarts has seen in a long while. At least that's what Abraxas told me their Headmaster, Dippet, said."

They still looked like they were having second thoughts. Aliya couldn't bear not seeing this wonderful boy again, so she kept going. "He's Abraxas' best friend, and you know he's picky. Tom is good friends with all the pureblood children, they were in Slytherin together. He was Head Boy, and one of Horace Slughorn's finest—"

"Old Sluggy?" Jonathan asked, grinning. "He only took the best..."

Anneliese smiled, almost relieved. "Alright, Aliya," her mother conceded. "We will contact him, arrange a meet for the two of you again."

Aliya smiled and sighed inwardly.

She drifted off that night thinking of Tom Riddle, and her dream kiss he had given in the moonlit gardens.

* * *

Tom Riddle fell asleep that night mulling over his plans for the next Death Eater meeting.

* * *

**There's the story of how Tom and Aliya met! i think the next one will be one of their dates, though i have Jez's birth typed and ready. **

**I really like Abraxas' goofy character. might put more of him in there.**

**Again, check out Kind of Not an Evil Queen. I have no idea, but i hope it's an original enough storyline, though there will always be cliches in thrown in. See my profile for the story.**

**Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's Jez's birth! I will post one of Tom and Aliya's dates up once i write one. My computer software is having issues, so it'll be a while, i think, before, i can update this or my other story. two more reviews! thanks so much, READ ON.**

* * *

Another excruciating cry wracked the walls of Malfoy Manor.

Tom Riddle winced and gripped his armrests of his chair. A tiny wrinkle appeared on his forehead.

"Let me put a Silencing Charm on the room, Abraxas, please—"

Abraxas Malfoy hid his smirk behind the _Daily Prophet._ "It's the trials of a birth, my Lord. Even one such as you must live out all the...best, parts, of life."

Tom Riddle growled and glared at the blonde. Abraxas gulped and called out, "Pooky!"

A youthful house-elf popped into existence. "Yes, Master?"

"Put a Silencing Charm on Madame Aliya's room. And bring them anything they might need."

The house-elf bowed low, then disappeared again.

Several moments later Aliya's cries were heard no more.

Tom breathed a sigh of relief.

Abraxas cast his old schoolmate an amused look. "If you can't even take your wife screaming bloody murder...which you must have heard already, seeing as she's having your kid...how will you take a little Slytherin heir wailing every night?"

Tom gave Abraxas a warning look. Abraxas Malfoy he trusted somewhat, and he was more lenient with him than his other followers. "I will teach the child to know better."

Abraxas snorted quietly, not wanting to risk his life by informing the ignorant man the truth about parenthood.

Abraxas and his wife had been shocked when Tom Riddle announced that he was to have an heir. They questioned—not to him, of course—whether or not the Dark Lord knew what having an heir meant. Yes, there would be a child, hopefully a male, who would carry on the ancient blood and take his father's place, and that seemed to be all Tom Riddle knew.

Aliya had been the one to break the news to her husband. Abraxas still remembered the day.

"Tom, having an heir will be wonderful, but a child is a lot of time, and work, and patience. You can't just Avada our child if he upsets you. You do realize this, right?"

To which the proud Riddle had simply laughed and declared, "The child will do as I desire him to. It's the woman's duty to care for him, anyhow."

Aliya had shaken her head, smiling at his confidence. "Perhaps it is, or the duty of a nanny, but it is the father's duty to be an influence on the child, from early on."

Tom had brushed this off, not taken it seriously.

Now the last of Slytherin's line sat in the best armchair in Abraxas' study. His hands clutched the armrests so tightly. His normal pale complexion was deathly white, and he had nervous eyes, as if he were regrets.

Abraxas shook his head. Thank Merlin his wife wanted to wait a few years before having a child.

Tom was shaking on the inside. He hoped his cool, calm mask was intact on the surface. He didn't seem to notice his anxious grip on the chair.

His mind was strangely blank. All of Aliya's warnings had raced back to him after hearing her cries. All the trials of a child, as Abraxas had said...

"So...any thoughts on what you're naming the child?"

Tom jerked out of his empty mind. "Garrett, Garrett Jonathan Riddle."

Abraxas raised an eyebrow. "No girl's name?"

"We are confident it will be a boy, a proper heir."

Abraxas shrugged. Clearly Aliya hadn't told Tom what she had told him—her mother's intuition told her it was going to be a girl.

He finally said, "Garrett is a fine name...Jonathan after Aliya's father?"

Tom nodded.

Both men jumped as Pooky appeared again. "My Lord...your child is upstairs..."

Abraxas gasped and Tom gulped. He took a deep breath. "Take me there, elf," he ordered, voice shaking so slightly.

The elf took her master and Tom by the hand and they cracked out of existence, and upstairs, to the guest room they had turned into a delivery room.

Two other house elves bustled about the room, carrying towels and sheets. Abraxas' wife was sitting on the edge of the massive bed, hair tied back in a hasty bun, murmuring encouraging words to the woman on the bed.

Tom took in the sight of his wife on the bed. Aliya's long, luxurious chocolate hair was tied back in a sweaty ponytail. It did not look very luxurious at the moment, matted with sweat and hanging, stringy. Her face was flushed, and he could hear her labored breathing from the door. She looked exhausted, but her eyes were wide open and bright, gazing lovingly down at the bundle of emerald blankets in her arms.

Abraxas' wife glanced up when she heard the crack, announcing their arrival. "Congratulations, my Lord," she said. "Welcome to fatherhood." She smiled quickly at him, though there was an edge in her eyes, and she didn't make eye contact with him.

She stepped away from the bed. Tom took her place, frowning a bit.

He bent over and gave Aliya a kiss. "Is this Garrett?" he asked, folding a bit of blanket away from the face of his child.

Aliya took a sharp inhale. She looked up at Tom, and there was a bit of wary fear in her Greensward family hazel eyes. "Tom, love..."

The door shut. Abraxas, his wife, and the elves had left.

Aliya sighed. "Garrett...isn't Garrett."

Tom froze.

"Meet out daughter, Tom."

Rage built up in him. A daughter? A _girl?_

"You failed me," he hissed to Aliya.

Aliya shook her head furiously. "No, Tom. You can't control these things..."

He wouldn't hear it. He pulled out his wand and aimed it at the baby.

"_No!"_

Aliya turned her body to shield her daughter. The spell froze in his throat.

"Please, Tom, I'm begging you, let her live..."

"I will kill you," he said quietly. Deathly calm.

Aliya swallowed. "And how would you explain my sudden death? You killed me, the Greensward Princess, because I gave you a daughter instead of a son?"

He didn't respond, just kept his wand poised.

"You would lose your perfect mate to continue Slytherin's line."

After a moment his wand lowered. Aliya sighed, relieved. She turned the bundle, revealing the baby to her father.

"She can't be Garrett...but I want you to name her."

Tom looked at the girl. He considered his options. He couldn't have a proper heir, a Dark Lord after he was gone...not that he planned on being gone...

Then he pictured it—his daughter, now the last of Slytherin's purest bloodline, rising to become the first Dark Queen...

Dark Queen. An old memory stirred. Sitting with the other orphanage kids in that terrible dark room...Mrs. Cole reading from the thin pages, about a King named Ahab and his wicked wife...

"Jezebel."

Aliya raised an eyebrow. "Jezebel...Merope."

Tom's head jerked up, staring at her. She smiled. "She should have one of her ancestor's names."

Tom studied the tiny bundle. "Jezebel...Aliya...Merope Riddle."

Aliya smiled and reached out a hand to pull Tom closer to her. She kissed him. "Thank you."

Tom nodded. His eyes were on the baby girl wrapped in green.

* * *

**There you go. Little Jez is born. If Tom had killed Aliya and Jez right then and there...then there would be none of my stories. :) hope you liked it!**

**Thanks to:**

**SPARKELS77**

**ChelseaLouisePowell**

**for favoriting/reviiewing/following! Thanks yers so much!**

**:)**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm back :) **

**I am pretty proud of myself, because i realized that i can type chapters in Google docs, where they'll be saved, and then copy/paste to the doc manager. back in business, people! **

**My computer is in working condition again, but no ideaer how long that'll last. **

**Meh, won't bore you with this. READ ON.**

* * *

Tom's fingers itched for his wand, mentally firing curses at the wailing bundle beside Aliya. It had been crying for at least ten minutes now, giving Tom irritating flashbacks to his orphanage days, when the younger children would cry for their parents.

The wailing of the bundle had began as a small sniffle, triggered by Merlin knows what. Then, after being ignored for a bit, the sniffle turned into a wet, whimpering cry. At this point Tom had drawn his wand, but Aliya had reprimanded him. Tom backed down, but only after putting Aliya under a mild _Crucio._

Then it kicked it up a notch. The generally quiet cry grew into a loud, shrieking wail, like now.

The three Riddles were seated in the parlour of one of the Greensward family homes, which Aliya had inherited at seventeen. It was rather unusual, Tom mused, that the Dark Lord would be seated, so normally, in an armchair with his wife and child. Of course, Tom was reading a book of Dark spells, and Aliya was writing a letter to Abraxas,while trying to keep the infernal baby under control.

Tom dug his fingernails into the leather binding of his book. The baby's wails had become an ear-splitting, bloodcurdling scream. He snapped, and yanked his wand from his robe pocket.

_"AVAD-"_

_"SILENCIO!"_

Tom found his voice shut off, and he glared at the dark-haired beauty sitting across from him. Aliya's wand was aimed dead straight at him, and her face was a schooled expression. The baby was strangely quiet.

"Tom, that's the twelfth time today you tried to curse our daughter," she said, schooled face not cracking. "I did tell you, you must keep your temper with her."

Tom grit his teeth. Aliya waved her wand and Tom found himself able to speak again. The first thing he did was subdue Aliya, giving her a moderate _Crucio._

After she caught her breath Tom said coldly, "She is infuriating. It must be impossible to scream that much within a few hours."

Aliya shook her head and glanced down at baby Jezebel. She was about a year old now, and gaining distinguishable features. She had all the Greensward traits-elegant nose, high cheekbones, dark, wavy hair. Her eyes were all Tom's, though.

_First Greensward that I can remember who doesn't have our hazel eyes_, Aliya thought wryly. Perhaps she was stubborn, like Tom, and refused to have something in common with the rest of the world.

Jezebel was completely quiet now, dark eyes wide open, face strangely serene. Aliya wondered if her daughter found the lights from the magic amusing, and wanted to see more. She waved her wand, creating small, multi-colored sparkles that floated around the room. Jezebel gurgled happily.

Aliya smiled. Tom huffed and stabbed at a sparkle with his wand.

"She's a baby, Tom," Aliya defended, catching Tom's murderous glare. "It's her nature, her way of communicating."

Tom Riddle burned holes in his book with his eyes. "What did Abraxas say, again?"

Aliya pursed her lips, but went along with the subject change. She picked up the crisp, mint green parchment beside the letter she had been writing. "He says his wife is with child, and wishes for us to have dinner with them, at some point this week."

Tom didn't reply.

Aliya bit her lip and toyed with Jezebel's fluff of hair. "It will be just us…"

Tom sighed roughly and slammed his book shut. He rose stiffly from his chair. "Tell him we will be there."

He left the room.

Aliya shook her head. Her sweet, charming Tom had become a reclusive, sharp, and rather Dark man. Aliya played with the idea that maybe Jezebel, and the stress of raising a child, had triggered the change?

But Tom barely raised the girl, he was always out for Borgin and Burkes, or meeting with his followers.

She refused to state what had been lurking in the back of her clever mind. That the endearing, charismatic man she had met at the banquet so long ago was a facade, a mask. That this man living with her was the real Tom.

She had suspected something when he had wanted to elope. She couldn't fathom why, because her family adored him. There would have been no issue.

Then there had been all the extra, super-impenetrable security on the house. Who was he hiding from?

When she had gotten pregnant she had been ecstatic to tell her parents. Tom kept her restrained in the house, only allowing her to Malfoy Manor, or Diagon Alley under heavy disguise.

And recently he had picked up the habit of putting her under the Cruciatus Curse, if she "disobeyed" him. Never too much, jus ta taste of what he really could do.

Aliya had dismissed these things before, blinded by the lasting giddiness that had come with eloping, and living with her dreamy, charming man, and living in secrecy. At first, she had gotten such an adrenaline rush off it all.

Now she felt it dying, melting away.

Jezebel started to whimper again. Aliya glanced down and smiled. She released some more colorful sparkles, and the baby giggled and shrieked.

_"Aliya keep that thing quiet!"_ Tom's voice thundered from his secretive study.

Jezebel squeaked.

Aliya sighed. Perhaps she was imagining things, and her Tom was in that withdrawn man somewhere...

* * *

**Review please, and two more on Evil Queen before updates! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

December 21st was the day that Jezebel Aliya Merope Riddle turned one.

Aliya was elated, she couldn't wait to dress her little daughter up, and make a cake, and buy her a present.

Tom wasn't there.

Aliya had reminded her estranged husband that their daughter was turning one before he left on one of his disappearance trips. He had simply nodded and given a cold smile at their tiny girl.

So Aliya was left to celebrate little Jezebel's first birthday alone.

She was determined to make it an event the girl would never forget...if she'd even remember it.

She decided to start with a cake.

Jez had shown a particular fondness for chocolate flavored decadents, so Aliya decided that a chocolate cake would be the best.

But she was a witch. Just any plain old chocolate cake would not do.

Aliya enchanted the bowls and mixers, getting the thick, gooey batter ready. She hummed as she baked, flicking her wand every so often to keep the process going.

Jezebel started crying in the next room.

Aliya sighed and put her wand down, skipping to the next room.

Jezebel was a pretty little thing at one year old. She had thick hair, dark and fluffy. Her eyes were dark as well, getting more like Tom's every day. Without the evil touch in them, of course.

"Why do you cry, little Jezebel?" Aliya asked, picking up her daughter. "Is it because you never see your father? Because he never holds you, or hugs you?"

Aliya babbled quietly to the little girl, pacing the room.

The fire glowed green, and Abraxas Malfoy stepped out.

"Abraxas!" exclaimed the woman, grinning. The Malfoy smiled.

"Hello, Aliya. Is Tom here?"

Aliya frowned. "He went out…again...for a while…" She began babbling again.

Abraxas gave her a concerned look. He glanced at the girl in her arms. He could have sworn that the tiny baby had given him a desperate, "save me" look.

He shook his head. "Ah, well, I'll catch him later." He sniffed the air, smelling something burning. "Aliya, were you baking something?"

The Greensward woman laughed and nodded. "It's Jezebel's birthday, I'm making her a cake." She smiled and rocked back and forth on her feet. Then her hazel eyes widened. "Oh, no!"

She shoved Jezebel into Abraxas' shocked arms and ran into the kitchen.

Catastrophe! The batter had been scorched, and the mixers and bowls were out of control, spinning around the room, stabbing at the burnt batter.

Aliya snatched up her wand and gave it a quick wave and swish. Everything vanished, leaving the kitchen sparkly clean again.

Abraxas walked in, jostling Jezebel in his arms. "So...no cake?"

The slightly-gone-mad Aliya Riddle glared at him, the old, bold Aliya Greensward coming back. "Shut it, Abraxas."

She took her daughter back from him. "This was supposed be Jezebel's best birthday, one she'd never forget...now she can't have a birthday, there's no cake!"

Abraxas blinked. "Er. Aliya, she is turning one, correct?" The frazzled woman nodded. "Well, she has plenty more birthdays to come, don't you think?"

Aliya slugged him in the arm. The slender man rubbed his shoulder and glared at her.

"You're right," she sighed. "I don't know what was wrong with me…"

They stood in the kitchen in silence. Then Abraxas broke it.

"I think you need to see someplace other than this place and the Manor," he said decidedly. "You are going to Diagon Alley today."

"But Tom-"

"Tom's not here," Abraxas said. He prayed that the Dark Lord wouldn't find out that Abraxas had done this. "Don't let yourself be controlled by him."

Aliya still looked wary.

Abraxas sighed. "You are Aliya Diana Greensward."

"Riddle."

The Malfoy waved a hand. "No. Greensward. You are bold, brave, witty, proud. You don't let yourself be controlled. Tom Riddle doesn't control you, Aliya."

"I love him."

"Do you?"

Aliya shook her head. "Stop it. I love him, I know it for sure. I need to obey him, and stay at the house."

Abraxas nodded slowly. "Alright...so we're doing this the hard way."

Aliya only had time to widen her eyes and open her mouth before Abraxas grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the fireplace. Aliya kicked and screamed, never dropping her daughter, but Abraxas had a firm grip.

"Malfoy Manor," he yelled into the green flames. They appeared on the other end in the cold parlour of the Manor.

Aliya bit Abraxas on the arm, making the man cry out, and she dove for the Floo Powder. Abraxas flicked his wand, and the powder vanished.

"Oh!"

Aliya sat on the floor, settling Jezebel on her lap. She glared up at the smirking blonde.

"Abraxas Malfoy, you just ruined my daughter's birthday!"

He rolled his eyes. "Aliya, quit overreacting! I got you out of that house, and you get to go to Diagon Alley!"

She shook her head rapidly. "No, no, no, I can't go against what Tom told me, he said not to leave the house, I must get back…" She scraped the fireplace with desperate fingers. Abraxas merely watched with a slightly amused, mostly concerned expression.

"Alright, stop," he said finally, gently taking her hands away from the fireplace. "Stop, Aliya, or you'll scare Jezebel."

At this, Aliya stopped immediately. Secretly, Abraxas thought that the baby girl wasn't scared at all. She seemed to be surveying everything going on with a dismissive interest.

Aliya's hazel eyes cleared up. She shook her head like a waterlogged puppy.

"Oh, what is happening to me, Abraxas?" she asked, confused. "I need to…"

"You need to get out," he said, helping her off the floor. "I'll watch Jezebel, you go enjoy yourself in Diagon Alley."

She hesitated, but finally nodded slowly.

Abraxas smiled, then called out, "Pooky!"

The Malfoy's house elf cracked into the room. "Yes, Master?"

"Watch the baby for a bit, Pooky."

"Yes, Master."

When Pooky took Jezebel from her mother's arms she started to whimper. Abraxas heeded this and panicked, and quickly added, "Give her a Chocolate Frog, it might entertain her."

"Yes, Master," said the elf, carrying the baby down to the kitchens.

Aliya watched them go down. "You're going to spoil my baby with chocolate," she said.

Abraxas shrugged. "The worst thing that could happen is she'll get addicted to them. Now, we need to disguise you."

Abraxas drew his wand again and studied Aliya. "Maybe a shade darker...and shorter...different robes, of course…"

The Malfoy mumbled to himself, then clapped his hands and waved his wand. Aliya felt herself shrink a bit, and she got a mild headache as her hair pulled itself back into her head a few inches. She looked down at her hands, which had darkened a few shades.

"There!" said the Malfoy triumphantly. "Can't even recognize you."

Aliya turned to look at the mirror above the fireplace.

She was a good four inches shorter than before, with dull, shoulder length brown hair. Her complexion was a milky coffee color, which set off her new, light blue eyes.

Abraxas waved his wand again and Aliya felt the weight of her robes lessen. Instead of her rather exquisite robes from before, she wore very casual, common grey robes. Nothing special.

"Ready for a day of shopping at Diagon Alley," Abraxas said brightly, handing Aliya a heavy money bag. "Go enjoy yourself."

Aliya shook her head, laughing to herself, and she took the Floo Powder offered to her and disappeared to Diagon Alley.

Abraxas called for Pooky again.

"Bring me Jezebel," he ordered.

When the girl was brought back up, she was covered in sticky chocolate, and shrieking for more Froggies. Abraxas whitened.

When Aliya returned, grinning and exhausted, Abraxas, too, was exhausted.

He forced a smile. "How was it?" he asked, taking the spells off her.

She laughed. "I haven't been in so long, it felt so good! Could I do this again?"

Abraxas floundered. "Er…"

Aliya took no notice. "How was Jezebel? Where is she?"

Abraxas sighed loudly and pointed to the cozy armchair in the corner, where the little girl was sleeping peacefully.

"Oh, how nice, you got her to sleep!" Aliya cooed, picking her up.

Abraxas laughed half-heartedly, picturing Jezebel from earlier, screaming and wailing and laughing and crying and waving her arms. Abraxas had deduced that giving babies chocolate could have serious consequences. And giving them more to reduce the crying only helped for so long, and came back to bit him in the arse.

He waved as Aliya, her shopping, and her daughter Flooed away. Then he trudged over to the armchair, and pulled something out from behind the cushion.

Abraxas stared at the something for a long while, before sighing loudly. Then he began sifting through the twenty-three Chocolate Frog cards, from the twenty-three Chocolate Frogs one-year old Jezebel Riddle had eaten that day.

* * *

**:) And so Jez's Chocolate Frog addiction is born. **

**I wasn't planning on writing this in chronological order, but if it were, then the next chapter would be Aliya time-traveling. Please, send in any suggestions for what to write, or anything you want to see. **

**ONE MORE REVIEW ON KIND OF NOT AN EVIL QUEEN BEFORE IT GETS UPDATED! Come on, be the 60th reviewer! I'm so anxious, I can't wait to update! **

**Thanks to:**

**Kate Elizabeth Black**

**steffypotter**

**shadowkat678**

**For reviewing/favoriting this story!**


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